Hamas welcomes Abbas, urges reform implementation

Published January 10th, 2005 - 17:02 GMT

Hamas, the largest Palestinian opposition group, announced Monday it will work with the newly elected president Mahmoud Abbas - despite misgivings abo

Hamas, the largest Palestinian opposition group, announced Monday it will work with the newly elected president Mahmoud Abbas - despite misgivings about what it said were voting irregularities, including a decision to keep polls open two hours longer than planned.

"We will work with Mahmud Abbas in what we believe is a sensitive coming period," said spokesman Mushir al-Masri, calling on Abbas to implement reforms, fight corruption and work towards municipal and legislative elections later in the year.

A prominent leader of Hamas in the West Bank said he had congratulated Abbas (aka Abu Mazen) for winning the Palestinian presidential election. "I have called the winner Abu Mazen (Abbas) and I have congratulated him on his victory," Hassan Yussef told AFP on Monday. Yussef was recently released from an Israeli prison.